Beavis, Paul

Information

residence

Wellington

Primary publisher

Gecko Press & Scholastic NZ

In Brief

Paul Beavis is a children’s book writer and illustrator. Originally from London, Paul has lived in New Zealand since 2012. Gecko Press published his first picture book in 2014, Mrs. Mo’s Monster, a quirky tale that went on to win the 2015 LIANZA Russell Clark Illustration Award. He has since published Hello World! (Gecko, 2015) and What are you supposed to be? (Scholastic, 2017). Paul has also illustrated four children’s books, including Jingle Bells, Rudolph Smells (Scholastic, 2016) and Nee Naw The Little Fire Engine (Scholastic, 2017). He lives in Wellington.

Beavis, Paul (1971 - ) is an award-winning writer and illustrator. Born and raised in London, Paul now lives in Wellington, New Zealand, where he is a full-time writer and illustrator.

A 1993 graduate of Central Saint Martin’s School of Art, London, Paul went on to animate children’s cartoons for the BBC and Channel 4. From 1999 he worked as a web designer and creative artist, assisting multiple companies with design, innovative thinking, and writing.

In 2002 Paul started submitting stories to children's publishers, but none were successful. When he moved to Wellington in 2012 he continued to submit picture book ideas and stories to publishers in New Zealand. In June 2013 Gecko Press agreed to publish Mrs Mo's Monster (2014), the first time Gecko Press had ever published a manuscript from a first-time author. Mrs Mo’s Monster went on to win the LIANZA Russell Clark Illustration Award in 2015.

Mrs Mo’s Monster, a tale of an elderly lady called Mrs. Mo and a cheeky young monster, was widely reviewed and loved. The UK’s Independent called it an ‘explosively illustrated fable . . . a real find,’ Sarah Forster in The Reader praised the book as ‘incredible’ with illustrations ‘perfectly matched to the story . . . the use of colour is superb’ and Playing by the Book marvelled at the fact it was a debut, as in her opinion ‘[Beavis has] created a marvellously lovable rogue character, told a story with emotional and psychological depth but with all the lightness of touch and humour one could hope for, and illustrated it all in a truly eye-opening manner.’

His second book with Gecko Press Hello World! continues the story of lovable characters Mrs Mo and monster, and was published in 2015. Sarah Forster describedHello World! as an ‘utterly beautiful’ book, and John McIntyre on National Radio reviewedHello World! as a book with ‘wonderful . . . gorgeous’ illustrations, expressing his love for the theme of little monster having the ‘freedom to be naughty, but still [feel] safe.’

Paul contributed to the acclaimed Gecko Press publication Annual (2016), a publication overflowing with stories, poems, cartoons, illustrations and how-to-dos puzzles for 9- to 12-year-olds. Paul’s contribution taught the art of telling stories, with enlisted help from Mrs Mo’s monster. Annual was reviewed as ‘absolute perfection’ and a ‘luscious’ publication.

In June 2017 Paul’s third book What Are You Supposed To Be? was published by Scholastic. Telling the tale of a violin-playing, salad-munching wolf and a little girl who attempts to get him to act as he is supposed to, What Are You Supposed To Be? has been reviewed as a book with ‘wonderful warm colours’ and ‘gorgeous quirky illustrations which totally capture the characters and their personalities.’